Pakistan's much awaited census to begin Wednesday

Islamabad, March 13 (IANS) Pakistan's Minister of State for Information Maryam Aurangzeb has expressed that the country's sixth housing and population census would start from March 15 and will continue until May 25.

Detailing the process, Aurangzeb on Sunday said the census will be conducted in two phases, with the first phase starting from March 15 to April 15, followed by a 10 day break for the movement of logistical arrangements, after which the second phase will go on until May 25.

Aurangzeb, accompanied by Director General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj. Gen Asif Ghafoor, told the media that a Rs 50,000 fine and jail time would be handed to those who misrepresented facts or provided incorrect data intentionally.

The DG ISPR added that the census would be conducted with the assistance of over 200,000 troops in approximately 168,000 blocks.

Ghafoor maintained that the soldiers will go to each house, fill in their own forms, then once the data was provided, the soldier who will have a link to the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) will be able to get Nadra verification of the data immediately.

The army has created a support plan for the census according to which the military has three tasks, Ghafoor said.

"That the census is smooth, transparent and that security and law and order are maintained" added DG ISPR.

Asif Ghafoor expressed that with the help from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, master trainers in various cities have trained more trainers under them at the division level, so soldiers were well-trained to undertake this task.